OOAK Table Tennis Forum

The Draycott Hardbat tournament was held in April 2013. Generally, when I have the info, I put an announcement on our website : http://www.hardbat-france.fr, in « TOURNOIS ».

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Hardbat France, the first French association to promote hardbat
http://www.hardbat-france.fr/

Aha of course - I was having a: It's January... ohhh but it's 2014!! moment.

My French isn't up to much, but your site looks the most comprehensive!

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

Thank you.

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Hardbat France, the first French association to promote hardbat
http://www.hardbat-france.fr/

Greetings,,,

Just jumped into the world of researching hardbat and table tennis for that matter... I've been playing hardbat for about 3 years now... I love it... Just started looking at other stuff for rubbers & blades... Thinking I will someday come up to a higher level of play... Currently,,, 1500 rated player...

I've enjoyed Pro Grubba Blade with Yasaka Colbalt but had great difficulty with supper loops from 1800 rated players and above... It seems to be a deciding factor in my game... Just switched to using my Hock 3 ply with Dr Evil this week... Need more time with it to see what I will use... Trying to avoid the Equipment Junkie Rabbit Hole. EJ temptations won: I just purchased a Valor Big Stick with Valor Premier Rubber, a LKT Toxic 3 with Gambler Peace Keeper. I also have an extra Pro Grubba with no rubber on it yet...
I want my playing style to be up close to the table... Been watching the one video of Patty Martinez... Who else plays close to the table?
Don't know about tips for strokes... I guess it depends on what you use... for the Cobalt, it is sticky/spiny so you can grab the ball loop, or my favorite is just side swiping the spin off with flat hits off the apex.

Peace,,,

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Ricky

Sounds like you're pretty deep in the EJ hole already if you ask me . In my experience of playing hardbat exclusively for several years now, the blade is going to be your deciding factor in hardbat, and you can really swap out different hardbat rubbers with very little difference.

If you really want to try out different stuff, stick with one hardbat rubber and just move it between different blades. Once you've found the blade you seem to play best with, then you can always swap rubbers. You're adding in too many factors all at once to really make any progress on a decision.

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Custom Blade 'Hard Justice' w/ Yasaka Cobalt a
Tatco Hornet w/ ATP Leland Era

Thanks for the Reply,,,

Blade is Important but my Cobalt Reacted Extremely Different than Dr Evil on the Same Paddle...

Yes,,, I believe I'm falling into the EJ hole...lol.. Thanks for the advise at focusing on the blade I like and trying different rubbers on it...

Peace,,,

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Ricky

Check my website: http://www.valortabletennis.com

I specialize in Hardbat equipment with an emphasis on handmade blades in the style of the 1940's and 50's. Of course I also have modern styles. If you play Hardbat close to the table look at Carlos Ko's Hardbat videos from when he won the US Open Hardbat a couple of years ago. If you are in Europe we are in the process of opening a company there to better serve our European clients.

CHEERS!

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Valor Champion (Hardbat)
FH/BH: Valor Premier OX
Valor Kuruxu (Regular TT)
FH: Valor Premier - Sponge
BH: Globe 979 LP OX
http://www.valortabletennis.com

You also did nothing to protest the December 2012 ban on classic rubbers from the 1940's and 50's as acting head of the Hardbat Advisory Committee, and as a result of said ban, I (and everyone else using Hock, Leyland, or USATT hardbat rubbers) can no longer use the paddles they had been using for years in normal competition.

While Valor rubber is decent enough and I would consider it a pretty good product - even though it is just the same acquired mold as Reisman and ATP Leland (which are now banned) - I don't feel you have the interest of promoting hardbat at heart, and you should have never been involved in having any input in the December 2012 ban due to your potential financial gains from the ban going into effect.

Just thought that was relevant information in regards to your company promotion.

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Custom Blade 'Hard Justice' w/ Yasaka Cobalt a
Tatco Hornet w/ ATP Leland Era

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Valor Champion (Hardbat)
FH/BH: Valor Premier OX
Valor Kuruxu (Regular TT)
FH: Valor Premier - Sponge
BH: Globe 979 LP OX
http://www.valortabletennis.com

FYI: The Carlos Ko blade is nice, but the handle is a weird, uncomfortable shape.

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The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

If You are referring to the Valor Champion blade, the handle is different and it takes a little getting used to, but Carlos did not complain about it. He actually said it was a very comfortable handle. If you do not like the handle but like the blade, I can make you one with a traditional handle. I have for some customers.

CHEERS!

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Valor Champion (Hardbat)
FH/BH: Valor Premier OX
Valor Kuruxu (Regular TT)
FH: Valor Premier - Sponge
BH: Globe 979 LP OX
http://www.valortabletennis.com

Really? Last time this was brought up, you seemed surprised and said that the Advisory Committee voted in favor of the ban, then wanted to know where hardbat.com mentioned that the Advisory Committee was not consulted on the matter. Now you're doing a 180 and saying that hardbat.com was actually right and they did it behind your back.

As you know, I complained to USATT about the decision and was forwarded to you, who then explained why the ban was necessary. Your reasoning was that classic hardbat rubbers needed to be banned because they had lost too much friction over time and no longer complied with ITTF mandates. The only one fabricating a new story here is you, but since every vote and decision takes place behind closed doors with zero input or knowledge of players, I supposed you'll say it went any which way at any given time.



When were Reisman and ATP Leland on the ITTF list? They were USATT-approved and until the ban were legal in all USATT tournaments and still would be. The point I was making is that Valor uses a mold invented by the makers of Reisman rubbers and used by both them and ATP before you, but you are the one trying to squeeze money from it now. There's nothing wrong with trying to make money, but equipment manufacturers needn't have any say in policy decisions that involve their product.



No idea who this irrelevant person/website is you're bringing in, but I have no shame in calling you out. If you're trying to claim that you had nothing to gain by several hardbat rubbers being banned, the users of which would have your product as a prime replacement to their newly-banned rubber, then you are the delusional one in this conversation. I myself was going to buy Valor rubbers as a replacement until I found out more about the ban.



Because Butterfly, Yasaka, RITC and Gambler are not head of the Hardbat Advisory Committee? Maybe because that had nothing to do with the December 2012 ban?

They wouldn't really stand to gain or lose much anyways since they make the lion's share of their profits from their regular equipment. You, on the other hand, have everything in your entire line taglined with hardbat.



Then why did hardbat.com take down their online protest after you found out about it and asked to know where it was! In the rules section, hardbat.com said exactly that, that the decision was wrong and players should protest it! Now you're saying it was all done behind your back without your knowledge and are agreeing that it was a bad decision, which you never once said before!

This is why I'm upset. Rule changes with no input from players, 'votes' that take place behind closed doors, and no accountability for anyone involved.

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Custom Blade 'Hard Justice' w/ Yasaka Cobalt a
Tatco Hornet w/ ATP Leland Era